Cultural Snobbery is Boring

I am a die hard Jackie Collins fan, to the point that friends checked on me when she died. I also love James Joyce and studied English at university, doing pretty well. A 2:1 was good going in 2010, anyway. I consider myself an intelligent and well-read person, but I find the notion of cultural snobbery so disgusting. I see no value in any culture over another, watching Vanderpump Rules alongside art house cinema.

I think it was Tina Brown who said that one must engage with both high and low brow culture to be considered a well rounded person, but even dividing things like that and like how I have above makes me uncomfortable. I believe the purpose of all culture is to provoke emotion, feeling it thought, and any culture that does so is valid.

The point of this rant is that any reading you do is good reading. Preferring bonkbusters over classics doesn’t make you less intelligent than anyone who has their nose buried in Dickens. An open mind is key, but life is too short to pursue culture that doesn’t hold your attention. No one’s opinion matters but yours, so read what brings you joy, sorrow, desire, or anything else. Go free and pick up a Danielle Steel today!